The Gourds Have Eyes

If you’re looking for a creepy, cool Halloween idea for your table setting, try making eyeballs with Swan gourds. The kids really got into this art project and had a blast! I did, too.

Keep an eye out for Swan gourds at your local farmers’ market or the grocery store. I recommend picking gourds with the most dark green color you can find, and the smoother the better.

Use a sheet of newsprint to cover your table.

Craft acrylic gloss paints, black, blue, white/silver, and dark red

small paint brushes

small fan to quickly dry the paint

Start with a base coat of white for the eyeball area and dark red for the neck of the Swan gourd. Allow each coat to thoroughly dry before painting the next layer.

Paint the iris and pupil of the eye next.

Finally, add fine lines with the dark red paint for the blood vessels in the eye. The more vessels the better it looks. Practice making fine lines on the newsprint with your brush, before starting on the gourd. It helps.